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The Shape of Belonging
A poignant, atmospheric contemporary romance about finding yourself in a city of millions and the unexpected connection that changes everything.
Rowan never meant to start over. He only wanted a break from the loneliness and anxiety that had shaped his life for years. A month in Seoul seemed like a harmless escape, a chance to disappear into a city where no one knew his name.
But the moment he arrives, the vibrant, overwhelming city challenges him in ways he never expected. The crowds push him to his limits, and when there's nowhere left to run, he's forced to confront the thoughts he's spent years trying to escape.
Then, a chance encounter pulls him into a situation he never meant to be part of.
That is how he meets Areum.
She is calm where he is restless, steady where he is uncertain. For the first time in years, someone sees beyond Rowan's anxiety instead of turning away from it. Against the backdrop of glowing city lights and quiet midnight streets, her understanding begins to unravel everything Rowan thought he knew about himself. As their connection grows, he faces a return to the safe, lonely life he left behind, or step into a future filled with possibility.
Seoul was supposed to be temporary. Areum makes him question everything.
Rowan never meant to start over. He only wanted a break from the loneliness and anxiety that had shaped his life for years. A month in Seoul seemed like a harmless escape, a chance to disappear into a city where no one knew his name.
But the moment he arrives, the vibrant, overwhelming city challenges him in ways he never expected. The crowds push him to his limits, and when there's nowhere left to run, he's forced to confront the thoughts he's spent years trying to escape.
Then, a chance encounter pulls him into a situation he never meant to be part of.
That is how he meets Areum.
She is calm where he is restless, steady where he is uncertain. For the first time in years, someone sees beyond Rowan's anxiety instead of turning away from it. Against the backdrop of glowing city lights and quiet midnight streets, her understanding begins to unravel everything Rowan thought he knew about himself. As their connection grows, he faces a return to the safe, lonely life he left behind, or step into a future filled with possibility.
Seoul was supposed to be temporary. Areum makes him question everything.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2026
About the author
Keith Hicks
5 books3 followersKeith is an adult contemporary romance author from Indiana who writes heartfelt, deeply atmospheric stories filled with warmth, humor, and genuine emotion. In his debut novel, The Shape of Belonging, he brings beautifully imperfect characters to life, focusing on the small, meaningful moments that shape human connection. His work explores love, belonging, and the quiet, unexpected ways people find home in each other.
Keith is currently hard at work on his second novel, a continuation that will bring readers right back into the lives and world of his debut characters.
Keith is currently hard at work on his second novel, a continuation that will bring readers right back into the lives and world of his debut characters.
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